


Lapsed

by aphchiptease



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Angst, M/M, Sad, Sad Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-23
Updated: 2017-09-23
Packaged: 2019-01-04 13:16:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12169620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aphchiptease/pseuds/aphchiptease
Summary: [Based off of the headcanon "I have the feeling that the countries don’t really die.They become human and forget about everything, about the other Countries and their life as Nation and then they get the chance for a normal life" by zografa on Tumblr.]Ludwig, a man who as far as he can remembers has lived a relatively normal human life, encounters two strangers one night.[Rated G, no warnings apply]





	Lapsed

“Ludwig.”

Ludwig turned at hearing his name being called by a soft voice. There were two men standing in the middle of the bustling former downtown Berlin, looking directly at him.

“Ludwig.”

Said owner of the voice was the small man with deeply tanned skin and curly hair of sweet browns and soft reds, standing to the right of his friend. His dark eyes seemed to bore deep into him, reading Ludwig like the two had known each other for years. Ludwig shifted from foot to foot, slightly uncomfortable at the overwhelming intimacy of a stranger.

“That is me. Have we met before?”

The strange man’s face twitched with emotion at those words. The taller man standing next to him, with wheat-blonde hair and glasses, rubbed his shoulder comfortingly from behind him. The shorter then looked upward, as if trying to compose himself, before taking a deep breath and turning back to Ludwig.

“Ludwig. It’s me, Ludwig.”

Ludwig squinted, confused. He was quite sure he’d never seen the man before in his life.

“I am sorry, I do not recall. Where did we meet?”

“Stop it, Ludwig! That’s not funny!”

Ludwig flinched at the harsh tone of the stranger. He sported a thick Italian accent, filled to the brim with emotion and… heartbreak?

“Did I offend you? That wasn’t my intention. I apologize. But I must ask - who are you?”

The shorter man stood there, dumbstruck. He looked deep into Ludwig’s eyes, refusing to break contact. Ludwig saw pure and unbridled sorrow and horror. The man took a step in Ludwig’s direction.

“Do not play stupid with me, Ludwig. Stop teasing me.”

“I most certainly am not!” Ludwig bristled. “I don’t know you, but if you remind me of how we met, I might recall.”

Feliciano took another step towards him. “Did you bump your head, mio caro? Are you feeling okay?”

Ludwig recalled his day today, seeing if he remembers hitting his head. Waking up at dawn, as he had for the past 24 years of his life. He got dressed and fed the dogs, as was part of his routine. Said hello to the neighbors as he started his car and drove downtown to his work. When he had gotten off that day, he decided he was going to do his Christmas shopping early - a habit, to do things early, that went along with his very formal and business-like personality. And then, he planned to go down to the pub with some friends of his before heading to bed and doing it all over again the next day, as he had been doing ever since he moved out. But his shopping was not completed, because today was different. Today, he was stopped by these two strange men.

“No, I don’t believe I hit my head. Now please remind me. Where did we meet?”

“Don’t you remember?” The man’s voice had taken a pleading tone. “We were supposed to fight, but I was too scared. You took me in, and fed me, cared about me. You stayed by me always, even as the Axis Powers began to crumble and I lost control over my people-”

Ludwig’s head turned swiftly in both directions, and when seeing that nobody had heard, he dropped his voice to a furious whisper.

“If you think this is a joke, it is not funny. World War 2 was-”

He took a shuddering breath of anger.

“Just because I have roots of those who served… on the other side, it isn’t for you to exploit for some twisted joke.”

The smaller man’s face was of blank shock.

“The ‘other side’? Ludwig, you were the ‘other side’!”

“This conversation is over.” Ludwig turned sharply on his heel. “Do not speak to me ever again.”

“Ludwig! Germany!”

Ludwig turned again. “What?”

Snow began to fall softly. It powdered the smaller man’s hair with dots of white, the cold flushing his freckled cheeks. He was rather attractive, Ludwig had to admit. His charm and bounce set up the impression that he was a bubbly and light hearted person, but the man in front of him certainly didn’t seem to be either of those.

“Ludwig. You are the human embodiment of Germany.”

Ludwig gave him a blank stare. “Am I supposed to understand what this means?”

“Of course you are. You’ve been living with the title for over a thousand years.”

Ah. The poor boy was insane. Ludwig gulped, feeling guilty about having scolded him earlier.

“That’s impossible, sir. I am a 24 year old human, and Germany disbanded a few weeks ago.”

The man’s friend stepped forward and clasped a hand to his shoulder.

“Feliciano. We need to go. This isn’t helping you or him.”

A strong American accent, Ludwig noted. Tourists?

“No, Alfred. He’s just forgotten a little, that’s all. We can take him back to the others, they can help him. He promised he wouldn’t forget. He promised me.”

“Feliciano.” Alfred turned Feliciano to face him, dropping to eye level. “I’m so sorry this is happening to you. I know how it feels.” He guided the smaller man into his arms and embraced him tightly. “But we need to go now. Okay?”

Feliciano pushed at his arms, trying to escape, shaking violently. “Don’t touch me, Alfred! I can fix him!”

Ludwig made eye contact with the taller American man. “Do I know either of you? Did I do something to him?”

The American looked at him for a few pregnant moments, his eyes bleak and hollow, before responding. “No. Sorry, he’s not entirely… right.”

Ludwig nodded, relief flooding him. “That is what I figured. Are you going to take him to a home?”

“Yes,” Alfred responded softly, still not looking away from Ludwig. “I will.”

But as Alfred was speaking with him, he didn’t notice as Feliciano grabbed his hand and yanked it to his lips, before biting down hard. Alfred yelped and let go, giving Feliciano enough leeway to wriggle out of his grasp and sprint to Ludwig. Ludwig didn’t even have time to back away before the smaller man flew into his arms.

Feliciano hugged him tight. There was something almost… tender about the moment with the strange insane man. The small and delicate hands that clung to his jacket were soft, his hair smelling of chocolate and paint. His small body was warm and fragile, flush against Ludwig’s larger frame. The embrace was was passionate, loving.

And somehow… familiar?

Ludwig had no time to contemplate this further, however, before the Italian man was yanked from him by the American. His hand was openly bleeding, he noted, from the bite mark. He pinned him deftly to the ground, overpowering his struggles to break free. His breath was ragged, but Ludwig felt like the labored breath was from more than the physical strain.

“I think you should go. I’ll take him when he calms down.”

The former German nodded. “Merry Christmas.”

Alfred gazed at him a moment longer with those strange and almost nostalgic blue eyes.

“Goodbye, Ludwig.”

Ludwig felt chills coat his arm. He could feel much more emotion than what met the eye laced in those words. He turned to go, before hearing the small man cry out once more.

“Holy Rome!”

Ludwig stopped. He felt the snow brush his cheeks and arms, watched the puffs of air come from his breath. A twitch of something stirred deep within him. A piece of forgotten childhood, maybe, or some bit of nostalgia. A broom, a green dress, a kiss. A memory.

But as soon as he felt it, it was gone. Sweet and fleeting.

“Goodbye, Feliciano.” He continued walking.

And for the rest of his life, as he grew older, married, settled down, and laid on his deathbed, he never once forgot when he had turned back after walking away and caught sight of the strange small man.

Sobbing deeply into the arms of the other. Smashed into a million pieces at the encounter that Ludwig still didn’t understand.

Forgotten.


End file.
